HF 034 Hank stupidly returns to the Silver Scale.
8:35:42 PM *** Hank heads to the silver scale. *** 8:37:06 PM Josh: As you approach, you see it before you. The Five-In-One sign just above you. 8:38:21 PM Josh: As you pass it, you see the Celestial Palace on the other side. 8:38:37 PM *** Hank enters the palace side. *** 8:39:58 PM Josh: Inside it is way more crowded than before, and much livelier. In addition to the sorts from this morning, you also see some Aarakocra at a table...the aarakocra you know, in fact. As well as Nahaliel sipping a tankard. 8:41:42 PM Josh: You also see some blue men, some fae, all sorts. 8:41:51 PM *** Hank will approach the bar. *** 8:43:08 PM Josh: Bahamut is there. He is serving drinks as fast as they are being ordered, which is fast. 8:45:39 PM Josh: Bahamut sees you. "Oh, hello. Wasn't expecting you again." 8:46:38 PM Hank: I realized that based on a recent experience I had one question that you might know the answer to. 8:47:35 PM Josh: Bahamut: "Oh?" 8:48:19 PM Hank: What would happen if Death had her heart? 8:53:19 PM Josh: Bahamut: "...I...I don't understand the question." 8:58:01 PM Hank: Death apparently seals away their heart, or emotions or something. What happens if she gets that back? 9:00:27 PM Josh: Bahamut: "Um...this is...uh...I don't say this often but...I don't know." 9:00:42 PM Josh: Bahamut: "I don't really understand Death as a being." 9:01:05 PM Hank: Do you know of anyone who would? 9:04:48 PM | Edited 9:05:00 PM Josh: Bahamut: "There are some death deities who may understand its ways better. Chronepis is the deity of my pantheon, but he's hard to track down." 9:05:08 PM Josh: Bahamut: "There's Myrkul in the human pantheon...but I wouldn't recommend seeking him out." 9:06:20 PM Hank: Why not? And could somebeing in your sisters bar know? 9:08:16 PM Josh: Bahamut: "Myrkul is a dark deity. Myrkul is where Vecna drew his power before becoming the Lich King." 9:08:59 PM Hank: Fair enough . Would you at least hazard a guess as to what might happen? 9:10:15 PM Josh: Bahamut: "I could not even begin to imagine. Death is a bit above me. I am just a God, Death...Death's basically a force of nature." 9:11:15 PM Josh: Bahamut: "Even deities of death don't fully grasp it's magnitude." 9:11:24 PM Hank: Fair enough. Do you have a strong drink that a mortal can drink? 9:12:49 PM Josh: Bahamut pours you something. 9:13:01 PM Josh: Bahamut: "You know, Ioun would probably know." 9:13:45 PM *** Hank drinks it. "She is far away , and I have a much closer but stupider option" *** 9:14:10 PM Josh: Bahamut: "My sister's bar?" 9:14:49 PM *** Hank will pay him for the drink and head for the door. *** 9:15:08 PM Josh: Bahamut: "Do you know what that bar is?" 9:16:44 PM Hank: I assume another plane like this one is? And potential answers don't come without risks. Ioun even follows that logic. 9:17:55 PM Josh: Bahamut: "That is true...have you ever heard of a pit fiend?" 9:18:29 PM Hank: (( have I?)) 9:18:38 PM Josh: ((Make a religion check)) 9:19:27 PM Hank: No I haven't 9:20:02 PM Josh: Bahamut: "They are the highest level of devil soldiers. Large, powerful creatures. Do you know where the name comes from?" 9:20:40 PM Hank: I assume a pit? 9:21:35 PM Josh: Bahamut: "The pit. The deepest level of the abyss, at the bottom of the hells. And that bar is smack dab in the middle of it." 9:21:45 PM Josh: Bahamut: "Just want you to know what you're getting into." 9:22:13 PM Hank: I made it out once it might happen again. But thanks for the warning. 9:22:54 PM *** Hank exits the bar casts protection from evil and good on myself and enters the deepest level of the abyss. *** 9:24:53 PM *** Hank also unsummons Kai who stayed with the group. *** 9:26:20 PM Josh: As you pour the holy water on yourself to complete the spell a warmth fills you and a blue aura surrounds you. As you enter, it grows brighter. 9:26:59 PM Josh: What was a joyous gathering in The Palace is a raucous and rowdy crowd here. A crowd who all stops to look at you as you enter. 9:27:12 PM Josh: At the center, Tiamat watches you and smiles, leaning over the counter. 9:28:30 PM Hank: Hello again. I am just in search of an answer to one question and then I will leave. 9:29:13 PM Josh: Tiamat: "Aw, don't leave. We missed all the fun last time." 9:29:28 PM Josh: Tiamat reaches under her bar and pulls out a jar with a pixie trapped inside. 9:29:38 PM Josh: Tiamat: "And this little lady needs a friend." 9:31:24 PM Hank: What can I offer to get safe passage, that individual and the answer to one question? 9:31:51 PM Josh: Tiamat: "That's asking a lot. Let's start with the question." 9:32:47 PM Hank: Death gets her heart back what are the consequences? 9:33:09 PM Josh: Tiamat: "Hm...that's a big question...Orcus...you know Death best." 9:34:17 PM Josh: A large red beast with massive wings, tusks, hoozes and two black curled horns stands up. He is...giant. The giant in The Palace...yeah, he's bigger. 9:35:57 PM Josh: Orcus: "Death has no heart." 9:36:46 PM Hank: She had a heart at one time. 9:37:12 PM Josh: Orcus: "No. Never. Death has no heart." 9:37:27 PM Josh: Orcus: "You think of Death as a person." 9:37:31 PM Josh: Orcus: "It's not." 9:37:59 PM Hank: Then the question is what if the current personification has a heart? 9:38:31 PM Josh: Orcus: "Then it will hurt." 9:39:47 PM | Edited 9:40:19 PM Hank: And that is all? No dire consequences? 9:41:17 PM Hank: ((How much time left in my ten minutes of spell?)) 9:41:30 PM Josh: ((A while. You just got in.)) 9:41:44 PM Josh: ((What was that for?)) 9:41:52 PM Hank: ((Accident sorry)) 9:42:49 PM Josh: Tiamat: "You're counting the seconds now, right?" 9:43:06 PM Josh: Tiamat: "That aura around you, how long's that last? Ten minutes?" 9:43:59 PM Hank: I don't know what you mean. I wouldn't enter here with a time limit like that. Only a fool or idiot would do something that stupid. 9:45:31 PM Hank: So Orcus would the personification failing cause anything to happen to death as a thing or mantle or whatever it is actually? 9:46:00 PM Josh: Orcus: "Death will need a new vessel. The vessel can be prepared or taken." 9:46:13 PM Josh: Orcus: "Or...I can take it." 9:46:20 PM Josh: Orcus: "Once I break free." 9:47:29 PM Hank: Ok Tiamat I have my answer what do I owe for that and my other requests? 9:48:09 PM Josh: Orcus: "Tiamat gave you nothing. You answer to me." 9:48:43 PM Hank: Fine for the question what do you want? 9:50:04 PM Josh: Orcus: "...you gave me all I want. I now know Death is weak...and that will be good for me." 9:50:10 PM Josh: Orcus smiles. "Thank you." 9:50:41 PM Josh: Tiamat: "Well, I'm fine with that. And you wanted this little one, right?" 9:51:28 PM Hank: And safe passage from here untouched and whole. 9:51:58 PM Hank: And you still have to get out of the abyss Orcus that doesn't strike me as easy at all. 9:52:13 PM Josh: Tiamat: "We couldn't touch you anyway...you have that aura that's totally not gonna vanish in five minutes." 9:53:09 PM Hank: Like you couldn't find a way around it if you wanted to. 9:53:22 PM Josh: Tiamat: "Oh...such sour grapes." 9:54:54 PM Josh: Tiamat: "You know, this pixie might not be a pixie." 9:55:08 PM Josh: Tiamat: "It could be an archdemon I'm having you smuggle out of here." 9:56:51 PM Hank: If so you would put such a low price on it I would be suspicious. 9:57:47 PM *** Hank will approach the bar. "One more time what do you want in return for my side of the deal?" *** 9:57:59 PM Josh: Tiamat: "...a kiss." 9:58:13 PM Josh: She smiles at you, her eyes flicker. 9:59:50 PM Hank: And nothing else? You swear it? 10:00:04 PM Josh: Tiamat runs her finger over her chest. "Cross my heart." 10:00:10 PM Josh: The other demons laugh. 10:00:34 PM Hank: ((Insight check for the hell of it quite literally.)) 10:00:54 PM Hank: ((18 )) 10:01:11 PM Josh: ((She's a really hard being to read...you're betting there's something here you just can't see.)) 10:02:14 PM Hank: ((How long left?)) 10:02:28 PM Josh: ((A couple minutes)) 10:03:17 PM Hank: Fine I agree, one head only though. 10:03:55 PM Josh: Tiamat: "I'll even keep it human...but let me get a little tongue." 10:04:07 PM Josh: A reptilian tongue slips out her mouth and hisses. 10:04:36 PM Hank: ((I can't believe this is happening.)) 10:04:47 PM *** Hank kisses Tiamat. *** 10:05:00 PM Josh: As you lean in, the aura of your spell pushes her away. 10:05:20 PM Josh: Tiamat: "Oh no...seems like if you want to pay up...you have to wait for your spell to run out..." 10:06:39 PM Hank: And nothing else will satisfy you? For our deal? 10:07:15 PM Josh: Tiamat shrugs. "Sorry, them's the breaks." 10:07:48 PM Josh: Tiamat: "But, I wouldn't worry about it. This one deserves to be here. Isn't that right, old Rod?" 10:08:08 PM Josh: Tiamat: "Why don't you tell him about all the terrible stuff you did in life to end up here?" 10:08:41 PM Josh: The pixie looks at her feet. 10:09:18 PM Josh: Tiamat: "She's shy. She probably doesn't want to talk about being alive. What she did when she was a man. What she did with the little girls." 10:09:34 PM Josh: Tiamat: "Everyone here belongs to be, boy. ...except you." 10:10:07 PM Hank: Fine then. 10:10:16 PM *** Hank will head for the door. *** 10:10:24 PM Josh: No one moves to stop you. 10:10:37 PM Josh: Pixie: "WAIT! PLEASE! I'M SORRY! I...I..." 10:12:13 PM Josh: You leave. 10:12:23 PM Josh: Unless you don't. 10:12:25 PM Josh: Up to you. 10:13:08 PM *** Hank will drop the spell while holding the door handle. *** 10:13:50 PM Hank: No protection then, can you still promise good faith on a deal or should I walk out. 10:14:40 PM Josh: Tiamat looks stunned. As do all the others. 10:15:06 PM Josh: Tiamat: "...You'll have to have faith in me...I'm not known for being good, though." 10:17:41 PM Hank: No, but i will choose to have faith even if stupid, that an honest deal has been struck. 10:17:53 PM *** Hank will approach Tiamat. *** 10:18:18 PM Josh: Tiamat gives you a quick kiss, no tongue and hands you the jar. 10:18:29 PM Josh: Tiamat: "You're going to be disappointed." 10:19:13 PM *** Hank heads for the door "probably but I could not live with myself on the off chance it was an innocent life." *** 10:19:52 PM Josh: Tiamat: "You risked your life for nothing. You hear me! NOTHING!" 10:20:23 PM Hank: Then you should have killed me for being a fool. 10:20:30 PM *** Hank leaves *** 10:21:00 PM Josh: You are back out on the street. 10:21:39 PM Hank: Ok you are staying in the jar and silent for now. 10:22:08 PM *** Hank heads back to the group. *** 10:22:09 PM Josh: No response. 10:22:15 PM Josh: The jar says nothing. 10:22:36 PM Hank: ((Is there anything in the jar?)) 10:22:49 PM Josh: No. 10:22:53 PM Josh: You look...and it's empty. 10:23:59 PM Josh: There's nothing. 10:24:05 PM Hank: Dammit 10:25:02 PM *** Hank throws it at the ground and heads back to the group upset. *** 10:25:14 PM Josh: The jar shatters and you walk back.